New Books

war

The books starts off with a girl named Alcyone or Ally for short. Her mother has a condition where she forgets things, even her own daughter! Shortly after her mother's death she moves to Maine. As she grows up she finds Sam, her childhood annoyance, and falls in love with him.... I thought the story was sad because of her mother's death and Sam going to war, but I think it is a good read that anyone can enjoy.

Set in the mythical country of Hytanica, this fantasy story centers around the princess of a kingdom that was once at war with a ruthless country, Cokyri. As Alera is the crown princess and nearing her 18th birthday, she is being pressured to chose a man to marry with all the traits that will suit the next ruler of the country. While Alera attempts to find any suitor to her liking that her father will approve of more than his choice for succession, the arrogant Lord Steldor, a young man, Narian, who was stolen from his home country of Hytanica as a baby to be raised in Cokyi returns to his birth place to find his family and captures Alera's attention. With an impending war ensuing over Narian's return the choices that Alera make became even more important as heir to the throne. Struggling to deal with growing up while balancing her wishes, her father's wishes and what is best for the kingdom, this is also a coming of age story for a young girl. While the writing style is a somewhat unrefined in the first novel of this series, the story is captivating to the point that I couldn't stop reading and the writing definitely improves in the second book of the series.

Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister forces are massing beyond the kingdom's protective wall. To the south, the King's powers are failing, and his enemies are emerging from the shadows of the throne. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the frozen land they were born to. Now Lord Eddard Stark is reluctantly summoned to serve as the King's new Hand, an appointment that threatens to sunder not only his family but also the kingdom itself. A heroic fantasy of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and evildoers who come together in a time of grim omens. The first volume in George Martin's series. This book is amazing! It has a great plot and I would give it 5 stars :) The one draw back of it is that it is quite ling, hence why its called an epic.

This was a good book about a 12 year old girl who lives with her mentally disabled cousin and younger brother Jed while her father goes off to fight in the Civil War. When they learn that their Dad has been shot and dying they decide they are going to go south into Rebel country and be with their dad. They get lost, meet a sutler who's considered a type of criminal, Travel with the sutler, find thier dad, get captured by the Rebs and locked in prison. Anna cuts her long hair and wears pants to disguise herself as a boy. It works on most people but not on the sutler and a Rebel boy named Joshua. Living with Joshua and his Grandma while helping their dad get better Anna spends time with Joshua and thinks he's a Rebel prince. Then Joshua (who's forever getting clumsily hurt) takes their horse Samson and doesn't return. The thing about Samson is that he's a Bible horse. He doesn't respond to whoa or giddyup. He responds to Bible verses. That made him almost impossible to steal but Joshua had spent time around Samson. Where ever Samson and Joshua are now Joshua's probably run into trouble. If Samson gets scared only a certian Union hymn will make him feel brave. If he's scared he'll sit down until kingdom come. And Joshua doesn't know any Union songs. And was the bullet through Anna and Jed's dad really a stray? Or was it intentional?

The first chapters of this book were very uninteristing to me with Suzanne going to her catholic school and practicing her singing, however the pace soon picked up and I couldn't put this book down! If I hadn't started this before the SuperBowl I probably would have set it down but I got to the suspense part and I chose it over the SuperBowl. Based on Suzanne's real life story this book cronicles her from being in a bombing at 13, beginning to spy at 16, and finishing three years later when she's 19. The Nazis take their house. However, being extremely lucky for her location she can come and go because her dad works for the railway station and she's an opera singer. She sings in Paris, in her hometown - all the while she's slipping messages that could get her killed. Her family doesn't know she's one and she's having nightmares of the Nazis. She's losing weight. Then the messages increase. Something is going on! She often gets 6 a day and the Nazis begin to notice. Will she survive? Or will she end tragicly? Check this book out. The cover alone caught my attention!

I haven't read many books worth reviewing, lately. I was at the library, trying to find something worth while, and I pulled out 'Brightly Woven' from the new books shelf. I read the summary, opened it, appraised it, and ultimately checked it out. It seemed to fit my favorite genre, fantasy/adventure, with dabbles of magic. A summary: Sydelle lives in a desert village with a drought. They haven't had rain in years! When rain finally comes, a wizard (Wayland North) shows up with a bunch of soldiers following him. He said he's come to search for more evidence about the king's murder. Murder? Sydelle thought he had died from an illness. But her father, the village elder, doesn't mind about that much. The stranger brought a long awaited rain! He says he will give North anything he asks for. And he chose Sydelle.

Okay something realistic! This book is about Johnny's struggle into manhood. A family mystery - his mom died leaving him a cup and telling him he was related to a rich merchant. The merchant claims he never did. A small romance - with a girl he never liked in the begining Priscilla Lapman. And intense hatred - for the boy who made him go from talented to almost begger. All set in the backdrop of the American Revelotion it's a great book. The only part I think it would be better off with out is his constant name calling. However it adds to his proud begining. Great book! He is a totally different person in the end! Esther Forbes made it easy to understand why he changed. It's a great story that will intrest even non-history lovers.

I first read this awhile ago, so if you have read the book, bear with me. "Dragonfly" is mostly about love. And politics. And religion. And adventure. Anyway, I'll share with you the summary Julia Golding wrote herself and that I changed a little bit (I'm so lazy!): *********** Princess Taoshira (known as Tashi to her friends) is appalled when she is ordered to marry Prince Ramil ac Burinholt in order to unite their lands, the Blue Crescent Islands and Gerfal. Ramil's not too pleased either. They hate each other on sight. So when she and Ramil are kidnapped,

Maddie doesn't want to ride and her brother wasn't horse crazy when he went to war yet he comes home with a mare Maddie names Firebird. Maddie begins to except the change in her brother until another man introduces himself as her brother. They both look alike - one however has a scar on his face. Which one is her brother?!! And what will happen to Firebird if the first one really isn't her brother! This book is really good it ends in a way I didn't expect it to and once you read it you'll understand the tags. Because I really can't tell Maddie's side without ruining it for you.

Letters from Savanah keep John alive the year he has to be away in the Army untill his next leave. John met Savanah when he was home visiting his Dad. When Brad accidentally dumped Savanah's Purse over the deck and into the ocean He took off running around the dock but John just jumpped right in. Ovioublsly some years in the Army teach you how to do that. John recovers Savanah's Purse and goes to Her Beach house where he learns a lot about Savanah and Also Meets a man that Savanah grew up with; Tim, He can automatically tell Tim loves Sahvanah but still takes Savanah out. The week he is with Savanah is the Best week of his life, and he soon realizes that he must leave here another year. " ...I'm holding you to a promise you once made me John, come back for me and I will marry you..."